Last night I had a very strange and vivid dream. I was on a boat out in the ocean with family members and at some point most of us got off and took a dinghy back to shore, but two of my female cousins who were studying for exams decided that it was the perfect place and time to ‘pull an all-nighter’, so they stayed.

The next morning I went to meet them and they were no where to be found. After searching for a while I paused and asked God for help and He whispered, “call them forth.” Without hesitation I began calling them by name one at a time and they each came up and out of the water. I wasn’t afraid at all, I was actually just concerned that they were cold. They floated over the rail, and when then landed in the boat they were as dry as I was, and looked no different than when I had left them the night before.

When I asked what happened, they each replied someone pushed me and the water was too dark and too much to fight against so I kept sinking until everything faded. The focus wasn’t on who pushed them, just on the fact that God had breathe life back into them.

The Holy Spirit then began speaking to me as I stood staring at them. He said, “Call those things that are not as though they are.”

The story of the Valley of Dry Bones in Ezekiel chapter 37 comes to mind. God instructed Ezekiel to “prophesy to the bones”, and when he obeyed the bones came together, and tissues, flesh and skin covered them. Ezekiel then called breath “from the four winds,” and “they came alive and formed a mighty army.”

As believers, it’s our responsibility to call forth all of those things around us that have died prematurely.

Are you thinking of a few things right now?

Things that you’ve given up on or allowed to stay in the abyss, because the waters were too dark and too plentiful to fight against.

You have to understand that these circumstances, these dreams, these people are depending on you for revival. If I didn’t call my cousins forth they would have remained in the ocean’s depths forever, and all of the purpose and promise within them would have remained buried with them and lost forever.

Romans 8:19-23 says that “all creation waits with groaning for the sons of God to be manifest.” This is a complexed verse and it’s meaning has been theorised by many but when the verse came to mind I sensed the Holy Spirit saying , ‘they’re looking for you, waiting for you to be revealed, so that they could experience the freedom you have, the authority and power and joy you have because I live in you.’

As a child of God, the Holy Spirit is in you enabling you to do and be far beyond the limits of this natural world. Luke 10:19 comes to mind, in which God reminds us that ‘He has given us power over all the power of the enemy’.

Somebody needed to hear that scripture because you’ve been running scared from the devil. Hiding, and keeping a low profile because you’ve believed that lie that Satan has the power to destroy you and your family. Perhaps you’ve experienced a few attacks that sent you running for cover.

Child of God STAND! You have power over him. Follow the instructions in Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the assaults of the devil.”

Listen to God’s voice and study His Word, and call forth in boldness those things that He instructs you to. Is it your son or daughter, your health, your marriage or your financial situation? God is able to breathe life back into whatever He instructs you to call forth.

Galatians 5:1 instructs us to “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

To live in fear, worry and doubt would be to become entangled again.

To ignore his promises and live as mere men do would be to become entangled again.

To try to earn or deserve salvation and not rely fully, 100% upon God’s gift of grace would be to become entangled again.

To stand idly by while souls who are depending on you get swept off to hell would be to become entangled again.

Disobeying God’s instruction to call forth those prematurely dead things around you would be to become entangled again.

Are any of these speaking to you? Any hooks that you need to cut off? There’s no time like the present to fall on our faces in repentance before our Loving Heavenly Father.

“Keep on giving your thanks to God, for he is so good!
His constant, tender love lasts forever!
…Out of my deep anguish and pain I prayed, and God, you helped me as a father.
You came to my rescue and broke open the way into a beautiful and broad place.
…For you stand beside me as my hero who rescues me.
I’ve seen with my own eyes the defeat of my enemies.
I’ve triumphed over them all!
…Yes, they surrounded me, like a swarm of killer bees swirling around me.
I was trapped like one trapped by a raging fire; I was surrounded with no way out and at the point of collapse.
But by Yahweh’s supernatural power, I overcame them all!
…Lord, you are my true strength and my glory-song, my champion, my Savior!
…My loud shouts of victory will echo throughout the land.
For Yahweh’s right hand conquers valiantly!
…Yes, the Lord punished me as I deserved, but he’ll never give me over to death.
…Swing wide, you gates of righteousness, and let me pass through, and I will enter into your presence to worship only you.
…For the Lord our God has brought us his glory-light.
I offer him my life in joyous sacrifice.
Tied tightly to your altar I will bring you praise.
For you are the God of my life and I lift you high, exalting you to the highest place.”
Selected verses from Psalm 81 (TPT).